


Faded Hues

by Nicxan



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Gen, My first LoZ fic please try not to end my life ;m;, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-13 01:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20165875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: Ganondorf's reign over Hyrule had suffocated it. The life had been drained from the land. It was hard to remember how beautiful it used to be, sometimes.But there were little reminders that helped him remember how beautiful home truly was.





	Faded Hues

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month! Today's prompt was 'colors'. And not gonna lie, this one was pretty hard to do. I had to scrap two starting points to get what I have, and even then, I'm still not super happy with it.
> 
> But I did it anyway, so GO ME

“You’re looking tired, Link. Do you think we need to rest soon?”  
  
Link looked up at Navi skeptically. The market in its current state seemed like a questionable place to rest, never mind even lounge around in. But once she had mentioned it, he suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. Each step took considerable effort. His eyes felt heavy. Truthfully, forcing himself through this and Hyrule Field in this condition would be a bad idea. They both knew it.  
  
He reluctantly nodded, and Navi gave him a friendly pat on his hair before retreating under his cap.  
  
Link took a detour towards the Temple of Time, racing through the open market to avoid the hordes of Redeads that crowded the once lively place. Their moans made him shiver in fear, but he pushed onwards towards his safe haven.  
  
The stairs to the temple were much less stable than before – Link had to take his time, to be careful to not slip. The extra time allowed him to get a good look at his surroundings, much to his dismay. He remembered the vivid colors of the leaves on the trees, how they shone in the sun. He remembered the beauty of the pond outside, how its water shimmered and splashed against the stone surrounding it.  
  
It all looked so drab now. Drab and lifeless. It was a far cry from the market he had stumbled into as a bright-eyed child. The buildings looked worn down and their colors had faded. Even the sky had lost its luster, making the market look darker than before. All of the life had been sucked away from it, and the emptiness of it sent a chill down Link’s spine.  
  
Once he made it up the stairs, he rushed past the dead grass and towards his safe haven.  
  
The brightness of the temple made him squint, but he could feel his tension fade away despite that. While it wasn’t the best for sleep, he knew he wouldn’t be attacked, and the light put him at ease.  
  
He made his way past the three stones and sat behind the pedestal with a sigh of relief. Sleeping sitting up wasn’t the best, but it was far better than nothing. All he would have to do is shift some of the gear around so he could sleep comfortably. Link grabbed his bag, carefully untied it –  
  
And the contents started falling out.  
  
Link let out a tiny cry of shock, scrambling to grab his hard-earned items before they could roll or bounce away. He managed to grab the bombs, the Deku Nuts, and – oh, Goddesses, the Light and Forest Medallions had fallen out, too! Link snatched them up quickly, holding them protectively. As he moved to put them away, they were caught in the Temple’s light –  
  
And they looked absolutely radiant.  
  
Link held up the Light Medallion up, admiring its bright and vibrant colors in the light. He examined it carefully, taking in each and every little detail and the intricacies of the carvings. He knew Rauru’s spirit was with him, offering him power, but the Medallion _itself_ offered comfort. Both of them did, really. They reminded him of the Hyrule he knew as a child. Bright. Vibrant. Beautiful.  
  
Ganondorf’s reign of Hyrule had suffocated it. Link knew that already. But now he could see how he even seemed to sap the very life from the Earth during his rule, and he felt his ears droop. The colors hadn’t been as beautiful as these were. Everything seemed cold and empty.  
  
But it wasn’t. It was only an illness, not Hyrule’s true state. Once the land could recover, it would go back to the beauty it was before. It would have the beautiful blue waters, the green grass swaying in the wind – the nature that made his home the beauty it was.  
  
Link put the Light Medallion back into his bag carefully and slowly, respecting the spirit within; the last thing he wanted to do was crack it somehow because he was clumsy. He pulled his cap over his eyes, leaned back against the stone, and shut his eyes.  
  
He would visit Zora’s Domain tomorrow. Surely that would allow him a break from this dismal, dark atmosphere. And he would be all the more rejuvenated for it.


End file.
